World War III Fears Escalate as Putin Threatens NATO Over 'Act of War'

Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning, advising that if Western countries allow Kyiv to use longer-range weapons to strike Russian targets, the new defense would amount to NATO being directly "at war" with Russia.

The threat comes as UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer heads to Washington to meet U.S. President Joe Biden, where they plan to discuss the possibility of permitting Ukraine to deploy long-range Storm Shadow missiles in response to Ukraine's repeated requests.

As a result, Putin emphasized that his nation would take “appropriate decisions” in response to any perceived threats.

“If this decision is made, it will mean nothing other than the direct participation of NATO countries — the United States, European countries — in the war in Ukraine,” Putin said. “This is their direct participation and this already, of course, significantly changes the very essence, the very nature of the conflict. This would mean that NATO countries — the United States and European countries — are at war with Russia. And if that is the case then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will take appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be posed to us.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during a Sept. 11 visit to Kyiv, pointed out that Putin has already ratcheted up the conflict by seeking missile support from Iran.

Concerns over further escalation have been one of the reasons why the West has hesitated to allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons against Russian targets.

“Just speaking for the United States, from day one …. we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed, and I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this, as this evolves," Blinken said.

He acknowledged that while escalation is a significant consideration but not the sole or definitive factor in the decision-making process.

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He added, “We’ve seen Russia now pursue and indeed escalate its attacks inside Ukraine, on civilians, on energy infrastructure, as well as on the Ukrainian military that’s defending its country. And we’ve now seen this action of Russia acquiring ballistic missiles from Iran, which will further empower their aggression in Ukraine.”

UK Foreign Secretary Lammy echoed these sentiments, stating, “It is Putin who has escalated this week with the shipment of ballistic missiles from Iran and we’re seeing this new axis, Russia, Iran, North Korea. We urge China not to throw their lot in with this group of renegades.”